Rules and Conventions Essay The figured world I intend to observe with my group is the J. Murrey Akins Library.

The purpose of the figured world that we are observing is supposed to be a particularly quiet place, which gives the people there a good atmosphere for concentration on reading, writing, studying, or doing research. It is a social norm that people in a library are not to talk, or when doing so, to softy whisper in order not to disturb others. Libraries in general attract a broad spectrum of individuals, such as adolescent children trying to read Dr. Seuss books, to teenagers doing research for school papers, and adults that may just be searching for a new and interesting novel. However, this library in particular primarily attracts college students, faculty, and staff of the University of North Carolina at Charlottes campus, because those are the only people that are technically aloud to use this figured world. The discourse communities I expect to find during this observation are people that study alone, people who study in groups, students playing the teacher role in-group study, the stressed student, and maybe an agitated student from others around him/her breaking the social norms of the library.

Notes 02/05/2013 4:00-5:15 Observed Group working on Mathematics -Each group member had his own laptop -There were 5 individuals in this particular group -Working on Moodle for their homework -1 particular student was helping out the entire group (Asian male, short, Tutor) -There before us until 4:55 -3 left including tutor actor, 2 left behind -1 of the two left behind seemed to have difficulty compared to the rest (Caucasian Male, Tall) seemed frustrated -the 2 still where there when we left 02/06/2013 2:00-3:20 Observing Individuals -2nd floor of the library -More people in the library on this day -Studying on library computers, studying with ear buds in, isolated (individuals in the corner of the library studying by themselves), communities that were writing papers, communities studying slides from classes after printing them -only surfing the internet more specially social media sites, communities texting/talking on their phones (disturbing the people are them), unfocused students (had all materials out but were not doing anything with the material)

02/08/2013 3:00-5:30 Interview Day -1st floor there were a significant amount of people here and bare on the other floors. -the atmosphere of this floor was more comfortable (i.e.. talking and eating food was more accepted -isolated groups (inside glass room), active groups (chemistry; were writing on dry erase boards) -Smaller groups sitting together in single chairs, -individual people seemed more relaxed and talked to their surrounding peers -Rosie interviewed Josh (tall, long blonde hair, average built) -Josh was listen to music while reading a novel -Why were you here on a later Friday afternoon? His roommates were distracting him and he couldnt focus on reading -Why did you choose this part of the library? Because it was located next to the coffee shop -How often do you come here? Few times a week -Do you always come to this floor? Yes, because he likes the location of the coffee shop and it is much more comfortable -When you come here, do you usually come for leisure reading or for studying? Mostly for studying, but on Fridays I come for leisure because I have the whole weekend to study. -What do you expect when you come to the library? A controlled volume and a good place to study.